The Psychology Behind the Belief in Heaven and Hell

What we have here is an "ultimate" conciousness that decides that it is "holy". It creates our existence, and Adam and Eve. It gives these newly created beings free-will, and some rules. A rule gets broken, and all hell breaks lose, literally. Because of this one broken rule, all existence will now suffer - why? Because this ultimate being has decided that it is "holy" and rule-breaking is something that cannot be tolerated. Not content with just wiping out his creation for this perceived slight against its own self-determined holiness, it consigns A&E and all of their descendents to ETERNAL SUFFERING... but, just so that it doesn't look as if its completely lost the plot, it conjures up a 4000 year long process by which a sacrifice of itself to itself will allow those descendents who "accept" this self-to-self scarifice to esacpe this eternal suffering. And all of this because this being decided that it is holy, and cannot abide rule-breaking. It should just get over itself - people are getting hurt - eternally hurt.

That was my exact thought when I saw this thread this morning. The god of Christianity is certainly not a father in any discernable sense to A&E and the rest of humanity. If we just take the Genesis account without any Christian reinterpretation, we see a deity getting concerned with his creation getting out of hand. The booting out of Eden had far more to do with keeping control on this now good-evil-informed human, than inflicting punishment for disobediance.If you push any Christian on this, it all boils down to god being "holy", whatever that means. But the fact is that god didn't suddenly discover itself holy - if it wants to take on such a mantle, then fair enough, but it is a choice. And it is this choice that leads to hell, eternal suffering, and the rest of the bullshit...

"a simple reading" - also known as making this shit up as I go along. EMA, you can re-interpret the words to suit your own beliefs as much as you like - everyone else does, it's no crime - but to then call someone "stupid" for calling you on your bullshit is hilarious You've been running your mouth off since your first day here at EvC - your arguments (and spelling) started off poor and desperate, but if at all possible have become much much worse Can you do better?

No, I am a professional educator and observing someone using an authoratative tone to peddle bullshit tends to get me riled, especially when that someone declares that a reader is wilfully stupid for calling on that bullshit. You are remarkably transparent and like so many others we see here. Let's see, shall we? Your conclusion: Coragyps is being wilfully stupid!Our conclusion: you're full of itYour "direct argument" is asking Answer: irrelevant! The Bible says that GOD HARDENED PHAROAH'S HEART AND YOU DISAGREEWher else do you turn the text of the Bible on its head for your own purposes?

Yep, I always try never to argue with someone so advanced in their writing skills that they can end sentences with prepositions I'm all for breaking the rules once you've mastered them, but in your case I'd recommend a two semester course of "Janet and John" before moving on to anything more complex

Hi PD - the "simple reading" was in quotes because I was quoting EMA's own ridiculous words: It's such pure nonsense, and yet EMA tries his hardest to claim that we are all dumb because we can't see it his way I guess we should be grateful for this opportunity to see such doublethink in action...